And With The 5th Pick Of The NFL Draft Chargers Select....Discussion

[dmac_bolt]

A Harbaugh-picked UDFA could play as well. Pip can takes his money and go eat cheeseburgers.

You have issues with him, i take it. Sure, a UDFA tackle will come in and start. Yeah. Glad you’re not GM.

[dmac_bolt]

If edge isn't the value at 5 to grab the best pass rusher in a given class, TE sure as heck isn't. I'd be fine with trade down and take Bowers, but not at 5.
Personal preference is trade down to around 10, take best WR, Edge or CB.

Edge players get take in in Top 5 frequently. Nobody sees an elite edge in this draft worth Top 5. If he ain’t in the draft you can’t draft him

Bowes at 8 is ok but not at 5? Uh-huh … ok.

[dmac_bolt]

I meant he has a high floor, think Kittle. I didnt say he doesnt have a celing.

I love how everyone keeps calling out Kittle as if every 5th round TE is a great TE. Lol. Brady was taken in the 6th round; why are teams wasting picks, and giving away the farm for a top pick if they don’t have it, for a QB when you can just get a HOF QB in Rd 6.

such a stupid argument

[Boltjolt]

I love how everyone keeps calling out Kittle as if every 5th round TE is a great TE. Lol. Brady was taken in the 6th round; why are teams wasting picks, and giving away the farm for a top pick if they don’t have it, for a QB when you can just get a HOF QB in Rd 6.

such a stupid argument

I said it once before but I'll say it again.

There were 5 TEs drafted in the 5th round in Kittles draft class. He is the ONLY one who has done anything to speak of.

[CanadianBoltFan]

I love how everyone keeps calling out Kittle as if every 5th round TE is a great TE. Lol. Brady was taken in the 6th round; why are teams wasting picks, and giving away the farm for a top pick if they don’t have it, for a QB when you can just get a HOF QB in Rd 6.

such a stupid argument

I have to wonder if some have seen any film or highlghts of Bowers. Guy is a beast. Any many draft experts and scout types do in fact say he is the best TE prospect they have seen, not to mention a weapon beyond the typical TE.

[DerwinBosa]

I love how everyone keeps calling out Kittle as if every 5th round TE is a great TE. Lol. Brady was taken in the 6th round; why are teams wasting picks, and giving away the farm for a top pick if they don’t have it, for a QB when you can just get a HOF QB in Rd 6.

such a stupid argument

Off the top of your head can you name all of the quarterbacks who were drafted in the top five in NFL history? I can't. But I can easily name the ONE tight end who was drafted in the top five in NFL history: Kyle Pitts.

Tight ends don't get drafted as early as other positions. This leads to many great tight ends falling out of the first round, including the two best today: Kittle (fifth round) and Kelce (third round). Another All-Pro tight end, Mark Andrews, was drafted in the third round. Sam LaPorta was just voted All-Pro as a rookie. He went in the second round. Jake Ferguson made his first Pro Bowl after catching 71 passes for the Cowboys this season. He was drafted in the fourth round. The list goes on and on, and it's more impressive than the tight ends who were picked in the first round since Kelce entered the NFL in 2013. I doubt you'll find the same or similar results at quarterback, edge, corner, or offensive tackle.

[DerwinBosa]

I have to wonder if some have seen any film or highlghts of Bowers. Guy is a beast. Any many draft experts and scout types do in fact say he is the best TE prospect they have seen, not to mention a weapon beyond the typical TE.

Many of us not in the Brock Bowers fan club on this forum (that doesn't mean we don't like him) have watched plenty of him live during Georgia's games. That's a little bit different than becoming enamored while watching a YouTube highlight of him taking a reverse 75 yards for a touchdown against a severely outmatched Kent State team--or while reading Walter Football's or Mel Kiper's latest scouting report.

[CanadianBoltFan]

Off the top of your head can you name all of the quarterbacks who were drafted in the top five in NFL history? I can't. But I can easily name the ONE tight end who was drafted in the top five in NFL history: Kyle Pitts.

Tight ends don't get drafted as early as other positions. This leads to many great tight ends falling out of the first round, including the two best today: Kittle (fifth round) and Kelce (third round). Another All-Pro tight end, Mark Andrews, was drafted in the third round. Sam LaPorta was just voted All-Pro as a rookie. He went in the second round. Jake Ferguson made his first Pro Bowl after catching 71 passes for the Cowboys this season. He was drafted in the fourth round. The list goes on and on, and it's more impressive than the tight ends who were picked in the first round since Kelce entered the NFL in 2013. I doubt you'll find the same or similar results at quarterback, edge, corner, or offensive tackle.

So your prejudice against Bowers is all because of Pitts? They are very different players. Not to mention it is kind of hard to judge Pitts given that he has never had a half decent QB except for one season of Matt Ryan when he was the only rookie TE in NFL histoty to get 1000 yards except for Mike Ditka. Pitts also had the worst OC possible in Arthur Smith who didnt have a clue how to use him or Bijan bloody Robinson. He also tore his ACL to write off one of hs 3 seasons. Pitts is all of 23 years old and already has one 1000 yard season under his belt. Before you write off his career, let see Atlanta get a real QB and a more imaginative OC in Zac Robinson.

And really Pitts has nothing to do with Brock Bowers anyways. Nor do any of the TEs you listed. That was then, this is now. Many scouts who do this for a living have called Bowers the best TE prospect they have ever seen. Kelce's college career wasnt close to Bowers, how could he have possibley been considered for the first round?

Kelce as a freshman had 1 reception for 3 yard ONE. Bowers dominated as a freshman. 56 714 6
Kelce as a junior had 13 receptions for 150 yards Bowers as a sophomore 63 942 7

Kelce entire college career was 59 875 yards (less than Bowers had in one year)
Bowers career was 175 2538 26 TDs

Obviously Kelce has gone on to a HOF career. But on NFL draft day you are drafting prospects, you dont have a crystal ball to see their NFL careers. As a prospect Bowers is a far better prospect going into the draft than Kelce was.

[Fouts2herbert]

I think of Bowers as an offensive weapon, kind of like the way I thought of Ekeler when he was here, he wasn't just a RB, Bowers is not just a TE, it's not easy to assign a value to these types of players but I can assure you that the mismatches that they create play havoc with defensive game plans...you want players like that to create mismatches and take pressure off of Herbert...I don't care about previous history of TEs drafted high or whatever some preconceived notions the masses have about artificially assigned values to specific positions...I have not issue with the Chargers taking Bowers at #5 because I know what that would mean for Justin...

[blueman]

You have issues with him, i take it. Sure, a UDFA tackle will come in and start. Yeah. Glad you’re not GM.

Not start. Salyer is RT. You wanna pay Pip that much to ride pine? What message does that send to starters making a fraction of his salary? Cuz with all the rookies on the way in, that’s one bad optic. I know we can’t not pay him, I just don’t want to pay him and have him on the bench, rather have [insert promising rookie here] as a backup swing tackle. I mean when have we ever kept a backup guy making more than the starters??

[Velo]

yes

Can you name another TE that has ever won the Mackey Trophy twice?

Somone else who dominated as a true freshman?

Recent NFL history is rife with examples of tight ends who dominated in college and were drafted high but did not repeat that success in the NFL.

Now please understand I am not saying I think Bowers will be a bust. I don't think he will be. I'm saying two things:

1. Success in college does not automatically mean success in the NFL.

2. In recent NFL history the best tight ends have been drafted in later rounds, and the first TE drafted has not been the best TE in his class.

Look at Kyle Pitts - #4 overall in 2021 and he has been decent, but dominant.

Like I have said, I won't hate it if Harbaugh & Hortiz decide to use the #5 pick on Bowers. The Chargers have a rich TE history. Gates and Winslow Sr. are usually included on every top 10 list of NFL tight ends. It would be fitting if they drafted Bowers and he turned out to be as good in the NFL as he was in college.

But Bowers' success in the NFL is not a slam dunk sure thing. Chances are a TE drafted in the later rounds in 2024 will be the best TE in his class.

So I'm saying that the No. 5 overall pick in 2024 is better used to trade down to stockpile picks in the value rounds, 2-4, to fill the needs. If the Chargers have a decent draft and get good rookie production from multiple rookies, they can be Lombardi contenders in 2024. Running back, cornerback, speed WR, center, linebacker. Who knows, they might find a TE gem in 3rd, 4th or 5th round.

[powderblueboy]

Fair enough, but Bowers is a very good football player with a good floor that wont bust in the NFL. He also brings more to an offense than your typical TE he keeps getting referred to on here.

That depends on injuries and how he will be used.
If the Chargers draft him at #5, I'll be behind it because they will have a plan and Herbert.

Other organizations, like Las Vegas, I wouldn't be so certain.